Dispensing container



Feb. 2, 1965 H. J. WANDERER 3,168,222

DISPENSING CONTAINER Filed Jan. 14, 1963 3 I INVENTOR.

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United States Patent Ofitice 3,168,222 Patented Feb. 2, 1965 3,168,222DISPENSING CONTR Herbert J. Wanderer, Elmhurst, Ill., assignor toIllinois Tool Works Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware FiledJan. 14, 1963, Ser. No. 251,317 4 Claims. (Cl. 222142.1)

being packaged in containers consisting of cardboard tubes with metallicends, one of the ends being perforated. Such containers are simple tomake and are relatively cheap. However, they have many drawbacks.

The known cleansing powder containers, as outlined above, have occupiedas much space before filling as after filling, thereby requiring anunduly large storage space.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvedcontainer so designed that a plurality of containers can be stackedtogether in a very small space in nested, telescoped relation.

The prior art containers, as noted above, have required the afiixing ofa metal cap or end piece to each end of the cardboard tube. This hasrequired two distinct assembly operations.

It is an object of this invention to provide a plastic container forcleansing powders or the like in which only one closure member need beapplied.

More particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide acontainer for cleansing powder and the like which is of generallytubular or frusto-conical shape and has one end formed integraltherewith.

The metal ends of the prior art containers have presented variousdrawbacks in use. .Apertures have had to be scored in one end to bepunched out for release of the powder. Such punching out has frequentlyproved frustrating to the user. Furthermore, the metallic ends havealways been subject to corrosion. Steel is most commonly used for theends, and rusts if set down in a damp location, frequently leading torust stains which are difficult or impossible to remove from countertops and the like.

Furthermore, most present-day household cleansing powders containchloride salts to bleach the article being cleaned. Such salts areextremely corrosive, and if any moisture at all comes in contact withthe salts and a metal container end, extensive corrosion of thecontainer end quickly results. It will be appreciated that the prior toprovide a container for cleansing powders and the like which is readilyopenable.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a container forcleansing powders and the like which is .made completely of inertmaterials.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a container forcleansing powders and the like having a discharge orifice on a slopingsurface, whereby to discourage entry of water and to facilitate egressof the cleansing powder.

It is an object of this invention to provide a container for cleansingpowders which is of frusto-conical shape, thereby providing a convenienthand grip for hands of widely differing sizes. I

It is a further object of this invention to provide a container forcleansing powders and the like which container has flexible sidewallswhereby the container may be squeezed to blow out the last bit of powdertherein.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a plastic containerfor cleansing powders and the like, which container readily can beembossed during manufacture at no extra cost.

It is another object of this invention to provide a plastic containerfor cleansing powders and the like, which container is designed for aplurality thereof to interfit in stacked, nested, telescoped relationfor storage, and wherein a stacking ring is provided which facilitatessuch stacking and also reinforces the sidewall in the vicinity of thedischarge end of the container.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a moreeconomical container for cleansing powders and the like.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention willbe apparent from the following description when taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container for cleansing powders or thelike, constructed in accordance with the principles of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view on an enlarged scaletaken along the axis of the container in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an axial sectional view on an enlarged scale to FIG. 2showinga plurality of containers'stacked together in nested, telescopedrelation;

FIG. 4 is an axial sectional view of the top part of a container on thesame scale as FIG. 2, and after removal of the discharge orifice closuremember; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view on an enlarged scale showing adetail of the stacking ring.

Referring now in greater particularity to the drawings, there will beseen a dispensing container for cleansing powders and the likeidentified generally by the numeral 10, and comprising a bottom 12, afrusto-conical sidewall 14 tapering inwardly and upwardly therefrom, andhaving at its upper end a stepped ring section 16, and a top 18. All ofthe parts with the exception of the bottom 12 are integral and are madepreferably by a plug-assist blow molding technique.

The bottom, as best may be seen in FIG. 2, comprises a structure in thenature of a lid or cap, including a flat bottom wall 20, a lower ordepressed channel or troughlike portion 22, and an upstanding circularflange '24. The sidewall 14 is' of slightly lesser diameter at 26 forcooperation with the flange 24. Conveniently, the flange 24 is securedto the thin sidewall portion 26 by a suitable adhesive after thecontainer has been filled.

Aside from the thin portion 26, the sidewall rises uniformly from thebottom up to the stepped portion 16, there first being an externalshoulder 28, with a complemental-y internal shoulder 30. The sidewall israther abruptly decreased in diameter at this position, and then extendsup substantially uniformly to another external shoulder 32, where thesidewall again is abruptly decreased in diameter, from whence it extendsup to the 'top 18.

The stepped portion 16 serves to render the sidewall more rigid in thevicinity of the top 18. It also serves for stacking a plurality ofcontainers together in nested relation before filling, as will bebrought out hereinafter. As best may be seen in FIG. 5, a plurality ofarcuately spaced protuberances 34 is provided on the shoulder 28. Thisis to prevent air lock which would hold stacked containers together.

As readily will be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, a diagonal or oblique surface36 intersects the stacking ring section 16 and the top 18. This obliquesurface 36 is provided with a generally vertical protuberance 38somewhat elongated in a chordal direction. With the exception of thisprotuberance, the entire container is of remark-ably uniform sidewallthickness, being on the order of .0l-.030" thick, the specific thicknesswithin this range being predetermined in accordance with commercialrequirements. The protuberance 38, on the other hand, is deliberatelymade somewhat thinner by being blow molded from a 1 localized area ofthe plastic. Although a wide variety of plastics is suitable for themanufacture of the present container, one of the more-or-less flexiblestyrenes is recommended as being suitable. Due to the nature of theplastic, and the thinness of the protuberance 38, being on the order ofhalf as thick as the remainder of the container, the protuberance 38 isreadily removed with "a paring knife or other readily available kitchencutting implement, leaving an aperture 'or opening 40 as seen in FIG. 4for dispensing of the cleansing powder from the container. I

As will be appreciated, any sort of powdered material tends to settledown somewhat in shipping, whereby the top of thetpowder 42 within thecontainer 10 is at a level 4 0 s'omewhat'below the aperture 40, thus toavoid inadvertent egress of the powder through the aperture. When it isdesired to dispense'powder from the container, the container'is grippedat any convenient height, in accordance with the size of the hand of theuser, and substantially inverted. The cleansing powder then may beshaken from the aperture 40. The oblique nature of the surface 36 allowsthe container to be held at an angle, whereby itis easy to see aroundthe container to observe the'area well as to FIG. 2), the protuberances38 are located within the outlines of the container. That is to say, theaxial extent of the protuberance of each container is short of thecorresponding top 18. Furthermore, the radial extent thereof is short ofthe radius of the stacking ring section 16. Thus, no matter in what waythe containers may be stacked, the protuberances 34 will not interferewith adjacent containers. In this connection, it will be understood thatthe containers will most likely be stacked in random rotational positionwhereby protuberances 38 of adjacent containrs would not necessarily bealigned with one another. V

Containers are removed gravitationally from the stack in FIG. 3 forfilling in the inverted filling position shown. The caps or bottoms 12then are placed over the open, upwardly facing lower ends of thecontainers, with an appropriate adhesive first having automatically beenapplied either to the inside of the flange of the bottom, or to thecorresponding portion of the sidewall 14 in the thinned area 26.The'cement or adhesive sets with great rapidity, and the container maybe inverted practically immediately for shipment.

The recessed bottom cooperates with the top of a subjacent container forrelative positioning in shipping or display. It will be observed thatthe dispersing projection 38, being entirely within the silhouette ofthe container is not endangered by such stacking. Being rather thin andof plastic construction, the bottom is flexible and readily takes upphysical shocks, variation in barometric pressure, and variation ininternal volume in instances in which air trapped in the containercombinestwith bleach in the cleansing powder.

As is indicated by the word cleanser in FIG. 1, various labels orindicia may be embossed in the sidewall (or top or bottom) of thecontainer. This is done at no a extra cost of manufacture simply byappropriately shapon which the powder is being deposited. This is indistinction to the usual type of container which completely masks thearea on which the powder is being deposited.

When'the container is approaching the empty condition and the smallweight of the remaining powder tends to make dispensing thereofdiflicult, it is asimple matter to squeeze the sidewall '14 of thecontainer, thereby to flex it in and to raise the pressure'of the airwithin the container, whereby to pump the cleansing powder out throughthe aperture 40. This action is augmented by the oblique'nature of thesurface 36 which allows the remaining powder to be concentrated in asmall pile, more or less'in a corner of the container, as opposed to theusual type of container in which the powder is spread out across theundersurfac'e of thetop of the container.

Reference heretofore has been made to stacking ofthe tcontainers beforefilling, and this is illustrated in FIG. 3.

t The containers are inVeIted being'Upside down, and the externalshoulder 32 of one container rests on the internal shoulder 30 of asubjacent container, This prevents the containers from wedging together,as they might. otherwise do. The protuberances 34 on'the externalshoulders 28 are'accompanied by recesses correspondingfthereto in theinternal shoulders 30, whereby to provide air 'bleed "passages toprevent air pressure from holding the stacked containers together. V V tK V particular reference to FIG. 3 (as As will be'seen with ing ortexturing the mold, or both. Sandblasting the mold wall through astencil (with an otherwise smooth mold wall) produces an interestingtexture and a degree of 'embossment determined by the extent ofsandblasting.

It will now be observed that the various objects of the invention havebeen attained. A specific embodiment of the invention has beendisclosed, for dispensing cleansing powder or other fluid materials, andit will be understood that the particularsenibodiment is forillustrative purposes only. Various changes in structure will no doubtappear to those skilled inthe art, and will be understood as forming apart of the present invention insofar as they fall within the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

The invention is claimed as follows: -1. A dispensing container ofplastic material including 'a one piece body portion capable of beingnested with other body portions of like configuration, and a bottomelement adapted to be subsequently applied thereto, said body portionincluding a tapering sidewall and an integral imperforate top joined tosaid sidewall at a circumferential margin opposite the margin with whichsaid bottom' element is adapted to be mounted, said imperforate top andthe sidewall in the vicinity of their juncture being traversed by anoblique surface on which is provided means capable of rupture or removalfor egress of the contents of said container, and a stacking ringelement provided on the sidewall of said body portion which facilitatesseparation of said body .portion from body portions of likeconfiguration when nested therewith including an internal shoulder, andan external shoulder and includes axial protuberances providing airports to facilitate separation of telescoped containers,

3. A dispensing container "as set forth in claim 1 where 2) in the meansprovided on said oblique surface comprises a protuberance integral withand extending from said oblique surface, said protuberance lying withinthe pro jected outlines of said imperforate and said tapering sidewall.

4. A dispensing container as set forth in claim 3 wherein saidprotuberance is of lesser thickness than the remainder of said containerbody portion to facilitate severing thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,432,718 10/22Moore.

6 12/54 Obeck 222143 X 12/54 Ivins et al 222213 X 7/59 Akers 222541 X5/63 Westlake 222-541 8/63 Orr 222-541 X FOREIGN PATENTS 8/54 Belgium.7/55 France.

10 SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner.

RAPHAEL M. LUPO, LOUIS J. DEMBO, Examiners.

1. A DISPENSING CONTAINER OF PLASTIC MATERIAL INCLUDING A ONE PIECE BODYPORTION CAPABLE OF BEING NESTED WITH OTHER BODY PORTIONS OF LIKECONFIGURATION, AND A BOTTOM ELEMENT ADAPTED TO BE SUBSEQUENTLY APPLIEDTHERETO, SAID BODY PORTION INCLUDING A TAPERING SIDEWALL AND AN INTEGRALIMPERFORATE TOP JOINED TO SAID SIDEWALL AT A CIRCUMFERENTIAL MARGINOPPOSITE THE MARGIN WITH WHICH- SAID BOTTOM ELEMENT IS ADAPTED TO BEMOUNTED, SAID IMPERFORATE TOP AND THE SIDEWALL IN THE VICINITY OF THEIRJUNCTURE BEING TRANSVERSED BY AN OBLIQUE SURFACE ON WHICH IS PROVIDEDMEANS CAPABLE OF RUPTURE OR REMOVAL FOR EGRESS OF THE CONTENTS OF SAIDCONTAINER, AND A STACKING RING ELEMENT PROVIDED ON THE SIDEWALL OF SAIDBODY PORTION WHICH FACILITATES SEPARATION OF SAID BODY PORTION FROM BODYPORTIONS OF LIKE CONFIGURATION WHEN NESTED THEREWITH INCLUDING ANINTERNAL SHOULDER, AND AN EXTERNAL SHOULDER SPACED VERTICALLY THEREFROM,THE EXTERNAL SHOULDER OF ONE CONTAINER BEING ENGAGEABLE WITH THEINTERNAL SHOULDER OF AN ADJACENT BODY PORTION IN STACKED, NESTED,TELESCOPED RELATION THEREWITH TO LIMIT THE DEGREE OF TELESCOPING.